Golf: Hui Chong Dofflemyer finishes close 2nd in State Am

BLOOMINGTON — Belvidere’s Hui Chong Dofflemyer came up two holes short — and a couple of short putts — of being the second area State Amateur champion in 37 years.

Dofflemyer was eliminated on the 17th hole, falling 2 and 1 in today’s match-play finals at Crestwicke Country Club to North Carolina recruit Alexandra Harkins of Crystal Lake, who also was the medalist in Tuesday’s qualifying round.

“My putting was kind of bad,” Dofflemyer said in a phone interview. “I missed a lot of short putts.

“It’s frustrating when you miss some short putts. On 8 and 9, I three-putt, and 10 I missed a seven-footer that was makeable. It was a little frustrating, but some days you putt, some days not. You have to accept it.”

Brittany Atterbury won the State Am in 2010 and finished second in 2011. She is the only local State Amateur champ since Kay Rossmiller and Salley Wessels won back to back in 1976 and 1977. No local golfer has won the Men’s State Amateur since Gene Readette in 1955, although Brad Benjamin won the Illinois Open as an amateur in 2009.

Dofflemyer said she never expected to contend for the state title. She was joined by several family members Friday, including son Robert Dofflemyer III, the favorite at this weekend’s Ballard Memorial at Ingersoll and Elliot.

“I was here all week by myself playing 36 holes (both Wednesday and Thursday); it was tiring,” she said. “Today my family came down and I was not nervous at all. I was more comfortable playing.”

Does this week’s close miss make Dofflemyer think she could win a future title?

“I am not so sure,” she said. “If I keep playing like I do, and if I make putts like I did, I probably could. But nowadays, the kids are too good. These college kids are way, way better than five years ago. They were good then, but not like this good.

“I have to practice more.”

Rockford ninth-grader Madasyn Pettersen, the only other area golfer still alive Friday, defeated Schaumburg’s Angie Kim, a sophomore on the Valparaiso golf team, 1 up in 19 holes to win the third flight title.